Demountable rim for tires.



' :7 m. WALTER; DEMOUNTABLE RIM FOB TIRES.

APPLICATIGN FILED SEPT. 13. $916.

Patented Sept. 11, 1917.

2 SHEETS SSHEET 1.

IRA: D. WALTER, or HARRISBURG, ARKANSAS, ASSIGNOR or onn-rwnnrmrn: To

THOMAS FLOUR'NOY, ONE-TENTH. T BENJAMIN: r. COLE, rnmrY-sIxonE-nun- M DREDTHS 'ro JOSIAH BRINKERHOFF, ONE-TWENTIETH T0 "JQDIE G." GANT,'AND ONE-FIFTIETH 'ro SAMUEL A. LATIMER, ALL or nnnnrsnune; ARKANSAS, one:

- TWEN'I'IETH TO ED. HAMILTON AND ONE-TWENTIETH TO CLINTON B. BAILEY, BOTH or WYNNE, ARKANSAS, onn-rwen'rrnrn To, rann snnuvnn AND {HARVEY I c. sHAUvER, BOTH or NETTLETON, .enxnnsns, AND onn-r rrmrn TQ JAMES w.

GANT, 0F HARRISBURG, ARKANSAS.

DEMOUNTABLE FOR TIRES.

T0 (ZZZ whom it mag concern:

' Harrisburg, in the county of Poinsett and v" able Rims for Tires, of whichthe following rprgtra or spare 1'1111 which s carried on the an omobile and g has an inflated tire. Inasmuch asthe neces- 15.

State of Arkansas, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement 1n Demountisa full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to demountable rims for use on automobile wheels, and it is part icular'ly designed to facilitate the applica? tion-,when necessary, of an sity for using the extra or spare rim almost always-arises in an emergency, and when a service department not readily accessible, .it is obvious that/a .rim having. the fewest parts and requiring the least expert knowledge in using'it hasm any advantages, es.-

pecially in comparison with well-knowncommercial types-of rims, all ofwhich are i complicated in structure and slow'and diflicult of adjustment. y

The present/invention belongs to that type of rims in which the fastening 'meansare a part of the outer'rim itself and the felly band, and depending for engagement upon a slight circumferential movement of the de- .mountable rim upon the feily band or other fixed rim of the wheel, as distinguished from the bolted-011 type of demciuntable rims. Various constructions oflrims having the rim-securing means made [as parts of the outer rim and. thefelly band have been proposed in which the rim-securing means are more or lesscomplicated in design and operation, and consequently. expensive to manuand inoperative. Most, ifnot all, of'these devices require some mechanical adjustment in order to be at all effective. Wear upon the ri inl parts would produce squeaking- Application filed September 13, 1916. Serial No. 119,880.-

, Be it known that I, InA D. WALTER, A citizen of the United States, residing at Specification of Letters Patent. Patentedsept. 11, 1917.

rattling unless they were immo vably. joined together, or else readjustment of the locking made for lubricating the locking devices, so as to secure proper wear and rust-resisting qualities. I

Economy in construction, simplicity of design and operation, and -it'acility inapplication both in mounting and. demounting, are

essetials still sought :afterin a commercially 1 practical demounta'ble rim. I

The ob ect of this invention isitolmaterials;

ize these, among other desired, features in a demountable rim construction, and avoid the use ofalljseparate and extraneous rim-secur- A ing bolts, clamps, and other fasteners, such devices is necessary. In no case is provision as are now commonly used, and to this end the present mv'ent on consists of a demountable rim having certain transverse lugs, fwith inclined radialshoulde'rs to-engage comple 1 mental transverse, lugs on the felly band,

which two sets oflugs cooperate to draw the rim laterally inwardagainst an upstanding flange on the fellyband with substantially constant pressures and-yet without the possibility of the lugs becoming inert or escaping one another, thereby holding the demountable rim against lateral displacement, {I

insuring its concentricity with the wheel and .its lying in the vertical plane of the wheel;

thecircumferential placement of the the be.

ing efie'cted by a combined positioning and locking mechanism carried by the body of the, wheel and acting upon an abutment on the rim, and the loosening of the rim for demoun'ting purposes being effected by the reverse action of said mechanism onia fixed projection on the rim; and the invention also consists of other features, as Liv-ill now to explain and finally claim. 1

In the accompanying drawings illustratproceed ing the invention, in theseveral figures of which like parts are similarly designated,

" Figure 1 is a front elevation of a-complete pneumatic-tire wheel, with the demountable rim, the other views being ona -larg'er scale. Fig. 2 is a cross-section, on line 2 of Fig. 11;" Fig.3 is'a cross-section of-the felly' an telly band, on'line 3+3" showing the combined positioning and looking mechanism in elevation. Fig. 4 is an inner plan view with the telly and felly band broken away and showing the combined positioning and locking mechanism in looking position in full lines and showing it in unlocked position in dotted lines. Fig. 5 is a perspective view ofthe demountable rim and tire detached. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the wheel without the rim. Fig. 7 is a cross-section of the telly, telly band and demountable rim in assembled position. Fig. 8 is a plan view of part of the rim, showing one of its lugs. Fig. 9 is a plan view of part of the folly band showing one of its lugs. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of one of the telly band lugs. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of one form of tool for operating the combined positioning and locking mechanism.

The wheel may be of any usual or approved construction, and it is supplied with a felly 1, and a metal telly band 2, having the inside upstanding flange 3, as usual. This band. may be secured to the telly in any suitable way. In accordance with my invention, this band is supplied with any number of radial lugs t transversely arranged, and having the inclined inner shoulders 5. These lugs preferably are spaced equidistantly apart.

The deinountable rim 6 maybe and is here shown of the clencher type, although the invention is not limited to any type of rim. This rim is provided with radial lugs 7, transversely arranged and preferably spaced equidistantly apart, arid having the doubly-inclined shoulders 8 so as to provide for the use of the rim on either a rightband or a left-hand wheel, and these lugs interlock with the lugs on the folly band. shoulder to shoulder, when the rim is turned forward, and in so doing draw the rim laterally into engagement with the vertical flange 3 of the telly band, to thereby aline the rim with the wheel and hold it against lateral displacementf Only the inclined shoulders of the lugs engage. and these lugs are not otherwise in contact with one another or with the telly band or rim. The demountable rim thus is, as it were, floated upon the wheel, and as results, there is no squeaking of the wheel in use; the liability of the parts sticking together by rust or otherwise is minimized it not wholly prevented, and the ready demounting oi the rim not in the slightest interfered with.

The several lugs may be embossed or pressed in the telly band and rim, 1espec tivcly, or they may be separately formed and then riveted or otherwise applied to these parts. In either case they may. and preferably do, run out thin or to nothing toward the outer edge of these parts, and their shoulders stand off from their parts at right v mechanism.

' wheel.

angles or perpendicularly, and radially with relation thereto,

In order to apply and remove the rim, 1 provide a combined positioning and locking One form of such mechanism consists of a cam member 9 having a boss 10 fitted in a hole 11 in the telly band which thereby serves as a bearing for the boss, and provided with a shank 12 extending through a hole 13 in the t'elly and through a hole or bearing in a face-plate ll which is secured to the felly and preferably countersunk in it. The shankis encircled by a strong coiled spring 15 l ianng its opposite ends secured to the boss 10 and face-plate ll, respectively, and tensioned to throw the cam normally in the direction of the circumference of the The hole 13 is enough larger than the spring to receive a quantity of hard lubricant or grease 16, indicated by the stippling in Fig. 3, to keep the parts lubricated, prevent rusting, and impede or prevent the entrance of moisture. The cam and its shank are held in place by a nut 17 on its inner end, and this nut may be locked to the shank in any suitable way, as by a pin 18 driven transversely through holes in the nut and shank.

The colnplemental rim members of this combined positioning and locking mechanism comprise the abutments 1%) arranged reversely on opposite sides of the cam member, and like the lugs either made integral with the rim or separately formed and suitably fixed to the rim. Each abutment has a face 20 ot' areuate form to coach with the cam face 21 of the cam member 9, so that as the cam member is released from its retract;- ing agent the spring 15 will force the cam member into'eontact with the opposite abut- .ment and force the rim forward and lock it in fixed position. In the reverse.movcn'ient ot" the cam member. its longitudinal side 2;. comes into contact with a projection 0r pin 23 on the rim and forces the rim in the oppw site direction and thereby separates the lugs and so prepares the tire for demounting. The use of two abutments admits of using a rim either on a right-hand or a left-hand wheel. The cam member is located substantially in the middle of the folly band and when engaging the abutment the thrust is in a center line so as to avoid its displacement. The lugs take the thrust and traction in use, and are kept in engagement by the positioning and locking mechanism. \Vhcn the wheel. is reversed. as in backing,"or stopping the car, this mechanism also holds the lugs in engagement and prevents their displacement. I

A convenient tool for operating the combined positioning mechanism is shown in Fig. ll. same romprishig a wrcuchdike dewith a radial slot 28 somewhat resembling v and its other end 27 fashioned to serve as a tire tool. This device may be, used-to turn the cam device against the tension ofgits spring to release the rim, and also to aid the spring in coming into positioning and locki'n'grelation to the abutment in applying the rimto the wheel body.

- Thessal and felly band are provided a keyhole, through which the air-valve 31 on the demountable rim is passed in assembling the rim and dernounting it, and this slot is of dimensions and length sufiicient to permit forward movement of the rim in setting it upon the Wheel. This slot 28 has its eye portion 29 inclined or tapered outwardly, as

indicated by the dotted line Fig. 2 and as shown in Fig. .6 so 'as to be of larger diameter at the place where the air-Valve enters and leaves it, to thereby serve as a guide for the insertion of the air-valve, and its parallelsided portion, 30 runs obliquely toward the flange 3 to receive and center the air-valve when the rim is properly mounted. Thus in mounting the rim it will'be most convenient to turn the wheel so that its slot will be uppermost, and then the rim is inclined toward the flange and its air 'ralve inserted in the eye portion 290i the slot, and then the rim is lowered onto the telly band with the air-valve alined with the portion 30 of the slot, :ready for the forward movement imparted by the positioning and locking mechanism upon action of which the airvalveis moved into the portion 30. Another function of time slot 18' that its use in connection with the airvalve brings all of the lugs into registenso as tOdDSLH'G their coiiperation. Ordinarily there is placed a lockw'asher on the air-valve next to the telly, and this requires the placing and displacing of thedustcap and lock-washer every time i the rim is removed or replaced. To obviate this inconvenience and by reason of the construction of rim herein shown, the lockwasher 3:2 is placed next to' the rim, with packing 33 interposed, if desired, and a packing ring 3% placed at its outer face against which the dust-cap 35 is screwed in the shop and need not be removed until in-' flating required. By thus using the lockwasher 32 not only is the manipulation of the dust-cap above criticized obviatedbut incidentally and advantageously the en trance of Water or moisture along thevalve and into the tire, isprevented.

The operation would seem to be intelligi ble from theforegoing, but may be summarized as follows: For mounting or de mounting, the wheel is turned nntil the airvalve is at the top. The wrench is then applied to the nut 17, and the cam member turned outot engagement with the abutmerit, and in. this act of turning the cam member engages thepin E23, and forces the rim backward'so asto disengage the lugs 4 and 7. The rim is now loose, and by pull- .ing it away from the wheel body at the bottom and lifting it so as to-t'ake the airvalve out of the slot 28, in the felly and felly band, the rim is free to be demounted and disposed of as desired. To mounts.

' rim, the air-valve is inserted in'the slot 28 and the cam member turned at right angles Rims may and do vary more or less in diameter, but they are practically uniform on the1rparallel edges. In order to compensatergfor :such variation, I arrange the rim lugs" and the folly band lu s insuch rela-- tion to a vertical plane parallel to the edges v of the rim that these lugs will certainly "engage efiectively regardless of the variation in diameter. .1 It s wlthin my invention as herein eX-E plained and claimed to vary the construe-1;

tionof parts and also their arrangement; for example, the angle of inclination of the shoulder s'of the lugs may be changed, and ihese lugs may be arranged with their interengaging shoulders located nearer the'outer edges'of the rim and band, but present use of the invention appears to demonstratethe practical utility of the arrangement shown,

since by locating these shoulders as closeas possible to the upstanding flange on the telly band, and so that the distance between the flange and the shoulders on the fellyband lugs is always less than the crest of the ncline of the run lugs, the. engagingshoulders of the lugs compensate for any wearer inequalities and maintain constant engagement; there is no possibility of the lugs passing away from one another, and

moreover any tendency to undue'vibration is overcome, and further the wear and squeaking which accompanying such vibration are eliminated.

It is to be understood, further, that my invention admits of the use of-any usual or approved form of split or side ring detachable, as well as any style of straight side or ordinary clencher rim. 1 i

Briefly summarized, the advantages of the,

present invention are quick and easy oper tion; simple construction; low cost of mafia facture; durability; and neatness.

These advantages will appear from" thd following comparisonof the patented invention with other well-known types in commercial use I First. By eleminating all bolts and fas'- teners which require a tedious mechanical adjustment, and substituting for them a system of self-interlocking elements, I reduce the time required for changing tires from many minutes to a few seconds.

Second. The lugs of the present invention may be pressed out of the body of the felly band and rim, at a minimum of manufacturing cost.

Third. These fastening elements being integral with the rim members and uniformly true to a plane of the wheel circumference,

the proper alinement of the tire with the wheel is automatically secured, and this is impossible with prior constructions in which several individual mechanical. adjustments are required. In the old-style rim excessive tightening of one bolt serves to throw the whole tire out of line and exposes it to excessive cross-strains and wear upon the tread. Fourth. True circularity of the outer rim is now recognized as another essential to secure maximum tire service. By eliminating all wedges between the body of the demountable rim and the fixed rim, which tend to more or less distort the outer rim, this object is fully attained. Continuous circumferential support of the rim is afforded by the upstanding flange on the fell y band, and while this is suliicient for all practical purposes, the transverse extension of the lugs on the felly band will serve to back up and prevent any possible inward distortion of the rim, due to excessive road shocks.

Fifth. The so-called drivers, such as driving studs, and other devices, commonly attached to .the rim members to prevent creeping ot' the riin upon the body of the wheel, are entirely unnecessary in my const ruction, inasmuch as my rim depends'for its chief functioning upon a circumferential movement of the outera'itm on the wheel body, the interengaging lugs taking the place of these drivers. Thus the tractive force that prior inventions seeltto obviate or prevent is utilized in my invention in keeping the rim members in interlocking engagement.

Sixth. The self-acting and positive looking device which constitutes a part of the present invention, adjusts fitselt' automatically to any possible movement of the rim members in their relation to one another, thereby always keeping the parts in close and positive engagement; lessening their tendency to wear, and also preventing squeaking and rattling due to imperfect adjustment.

Seventh. Much tedious labor is.avoided by the means I provide for adjusting the lock-washer and dust-cap on the valve stem directly to the body of the demountable rim. In other constructions these elements are secured to the felly of the wheel ,which necessitates their removal and replacement mounted.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In a demountable rim structure, a demountable rim having transverse radial lugs providedwith inclined perpendicular shoulders, and a felly band havin an edge flange on its inner side and PIOVldEdJ- with complemental transverse radial lugs having inclined perpendicular shoulders to engage the shoulders on the rim lugs, the said felly band lugs having their inclined shoulders arranged adjacent to the flange with their point of closest approach less than the crest of the incline of the rim lugs and the two sets of lugs being engaged by a circumferential movement of the-rim and when so engaged the inclined shoulders on the lugs serving to draw the rim to a seat on the flange, insure its concentricity with the wheel in its vertical plane and preclude the lateral and circumferential escape of the rim.

2. In a demountable rim structure, a demountable rim having transverse radial lugs provided with inclined perpendicular shoulders, and a felly band having an edge fi nge on its'inner side and provided with comp emental transverse radial lugs having inclined perpendicular shoulders to engage the shoulders on the rim lugs, the lugs on the rim and on the telly band being arranged to one side of the circumferential center line of the rim and felly band and the said felly band lugs having their inclined shoulders'arranged in such proximity to the flange that the point of closest approach is less than the crest of the incline of the rim lugs, the two sets of lugs being engaged by a circumferential movement of the rim and when so engaged the inclined shoulders of the lugs serving to draw the rim laterally to a seat on the flange and preventthe escape of the rim lugs from the felly band lugs, and insure the concentricity of the rim with the wheel in its vertical plane.

3. In a'demountable rim structure, a demountablo rim having transverse radial lugs provided with inclined perpendicular shoulders, and a felly band having an edge flange on its inner side and provided with complemental transverse radial lugs having inclined perpendicular shoulders to engage the shoulders on the rim lugs, the lugs on the rim and on the telly band being arranged to one side of the circumferential center line of the rim and felly band and the said felly band lugs having their inclined shoulders facing the flange and forming therewith a convergent space whose narrowest end is of less width than the greatest width of the rim lugs so as to insure constant and unescapable engagement of the lugs and the seating of the rim against the flange.

4. In a demountable rim structure, a felly andfelly'band provided with a slot one end of which" is rounded and tapered inwardly and the, other end extended in substantially parallel lines obliquely across the-- felly and felly band.

a 5. In a demountable rim structure, a felly 'and afelly band provided with s'ockets,fand

and a telly band, provided with sockets and a rim positioning and locking mechanism consisting of a cam member adapted to be rotated part way across the face of the telly band and provided with. boss seated in the socket in the telly band and an operating member projecting through the socket in I the telly, a face-plate on the inner face of the folly ln-WlllCll the outer end. of the operating member has a bearing, fastening.

and engagement means for said operating member located outside-the facemlat'e, and a spring arranged in the fellynsocket and having its opposite ends engaged with the boss and face-plate and set to normally move the cam member into a positionlengthwise of the folly band. i

7. In a demountable rim structure, a

telly, and a fellyband provided Withan upstanding edge flange and transverse radially 40, arranged lugs provided with obliquely disposed shoulders located between the upstanding flange and the longitudinal center of the telly band a cam member having bearings in the telly and felly band, and means for automatically positioning the cam member in longitudinal alinenient With the folly band.

8. In a demountable rim structure, a demountable hai 'ing a series of transverse radial lugs, a telly, a telly-band having an edge flange on its inner edge and provided with complemental transverse radial lugs, the coaction of the lugs on ,the

rim and felly band serving to draw the rimto a seat on the flange and insureits 0on centr1c1ty --W1th the Wheel in its vertical plane, and a combined rim positioningend looking mechaiiism including a cam me 1 v her having bearings in the folly and felly- 1 band and interposed between the rim and telly-band an abutment on the rim against which the cam member acts to hold the lugs in engagement, and means for automatically positioning the cam member in longitudinal aline'ment 'w1th the rim,

9 In a demountable rim structure, a demountable rim having a series of transverse radial lugs, a telly, a telly-band having an edge flange on its inner edge and provided with complemental transverse radial lu s, the coaction of the lugs on the-rim and fel. 4 band serving to draw the rim to a seat on the flange and insure its concentricity with the \vheel in'itsvertical plane, and a'combine'd'rim positioning and locking mechanism including a cam memberhaving bearings in the telly and folly-band and interposed between the rim and felly-band,me ans for automatically positioning the cam memher in longitudinal alinement with the rim,

an abutment on the rim with which the cam member enacts in holding the lugs in engagement, and a projection on the rim interposed in the path of reverse movement of the cam member and engagedby said member to facilitate the disengagement of the lugs in. the demounting of the rim.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of September A. I).

RA D WALTER. Witnesses: p i I WM. H. FINCKEL, V1 H. FmonEL,J1-. 

